Stochastic heat engine with the consideration of inertial effects and shortcuts to adiabaticity

Carnot, Stirling, and Ericsson stochastic heat engines: Efficiency at maximum power

This work uses the low-dissipation strategy to obtain efficiency at maximum power from a stochastic heat engine performing Carnot-, Stirling- and Ericsson-like cycles at finite time. The heat engine consists of a colloidal particle trapped by optical tweezers, in contact with two thermal baths at different temperatures, namely hot (T_{h}) and cold (T_{c}). The particle dynamics is characterized by a Langevin equation with time-dependent control parameters bounded to a harmonic potential trap. In a low-dissipation approach, the equilibrium properties of the system are required, which in our case, can be calculated through a statelike equation for the mean value 〈x^{2}〉_{eq} coming from a macroscopic expression associated with the Langevin equation.

Driving rapidly while remaining in control: classical shortcuts from Hamiltonian to stochastic dynamics

Stochastic thermodynamics lays down a broad framework to revisit the venerable concepts of heat, work and entropy production for individual stochastic trajectories of mesoscopic systems. Remarkably, this approach, relying on stochastic equations of motion, introduces time into the description of thermodynamic processes-which opens the way to fine control them. As a result, the field of finite-time thermodynamics of mesoscopic systems has blossomed. In this article, after introducing a few concepts of control for isolated mechanical systems evolving according to deterministic equations of motion, we review the different strategies that have been developed to realize finite-time state-to-state transformations in both over and underdamped regimes, by the proper design of time-dependent control parameters/driving. The systems under study are stochastic, epitomized by a Brownian object immersed in a fluid; they are thus strongly coupled to their environment playing the role of a reservoir. Interestingly, a few of those methods (inverse engineering, counterdiabatic driving, fast-forward) are directly inspired by their counterpart in quantum control. The review also analyzes the control through reservoir engineering. Besides the reachability of a given target state from a known initial state, the question of the optimal path is discussed. Optimality is here defined with respect to a cost function, a subject intimately related to the field of information thermodynamics and the question of speed limit. Another natural extension discussed deals with the connection between arbitrary states or non-equilibrium steady states. This field of control in stochastic thermodynamics enjoys a wealth of applications, ranging from optimal mesoscopic heat engines to population control in biological systems.

Low-dissipation engines: Microscopic construction via shortcuts to adiabaticity and isothermality, the optimal relation between power and efficiency

We construct a microscopic model of low-dissipation engines by driving a Brownian particle in a time-dependent harmonic potential. Shortcuts to adiabaticity and shortcuts to isothermality are introduced to realize the adiabatic and isothermal branches in a thermodynamic cycle, respectively. We derive an analytical formula of the efficiency at maximum power with explicit expressions of dissipation coefficients under the optimized protocols. When the relative temperature difference between the two baths in the cycle is insignificant, this expression satisfies the universal law of efficiency at maximum power up to the quadratic term of the Carnot efficiency. For large relative temperature differences, the efficiency at maximum power tends to be 1/2. Furthermore, we analyze the issue of power at any given efficiency for general low-dissipation engines and then obtain the supremum of the power in three limiting cases, respectively. These expressions of maximum power at given efficiency provide the optimal relations between power and efficiency which are tighter than the results in previous references.

Microscopic theory of the Curzon-Ahlborn heat engine based on a Brownian particle

The Curzon-Ahlborn (CA) efficiency, as the efficiency at the maximum power (EMP) of the endoreversible Carnot engine, has significant impact on finite-time thermodynamics. However, the CA engine is based on many assumptions. In the past few decades, although a lot of efforts have been made, a microscopic theory of the CA engine is still lacking. By adopting the method of the stochastic differential equation of energy, we formulate a microscopic theory of the CA engine realized with a highly underdamped Brownian particle in a class of nonharmonic potentials. This theory gives microscopic interpretation of all assumptions made by Curzon and Ahlborn. In other words, we find a microscopic counterpart of the CA engine in stochastic thermodynamics. Also, based on this theory, we derive the explicit expression of the protocol associated with the maximum power for any given efficiency, and we obtain analytical results of the power and the efficiency statistics for the Brownian CA engine. Our research brings new perspectives to experimental studies of finite-time microscopic heat engines featured with fluctuations.

Geodesic Path for the Minimal Energy Cost in Shortcuts to Isothermality

Shortcuts to isothermality are driving strategies to steer the system to its equilibrium states within finite time, and enable evaluating the impact of a control promptly. Finding the optimal scheme to minimize the energy cost is of critical importance in applications of this strategy in pharmaceutical drug tests, biological selection, and quantum computation. We prove the equivalence between designing the optimal scheme and finding the geodesic path in the space of control parameters. Such equivalence allows a systematic and universal approach to find the optimal control to reduce the energy cost. We demonstrate the current method with examples of a Brownian particle trapped in controllable harmonic potentials.

Obtaining efficient thermal engines from interacting Brownian particles under time-periodic drivings

We introduce an alternative route for obtaining reliable cyclic engines, based on two interacting Brownian particles under time-periodic drivings which can be used as a work-to-work converter or a heat engine. Exact expressions for the thermodynamic fluxes, such as power and heat, are obtained using the framework of stochastic thermodynamic. We then use these exact expression to optimize the driving protocols with respect to output forces, their phase difference. For the work-to-work engine, they are solely expressed in terms of Onsager coefficients and their derivatives, whereas nonlinear effects start to play a role since the particles are at different temperatures. Our results suggest that stronger coupling generally leads to better performance, but careful design is needed to optimize the external forces.

Taming the Time Evolution in Overdamped Systems: Shortcuts Elaborated from Fast-Forward and Time-Reversed Protocols

Using a reverse-engineering approach on the time-distorted solution in a reference potential, we work out the external driving potential to be applied to a Brownian system in order to slow or accelerate the dynamics, or even to invert the arrow of time. By welding a direct and time-reversed evolution toward a well chosen common intermediate state, we analytically derive a smooth protocol to connect two arbitrary states in an arbitrarily short amount of time. Not only does the reverse-engineering approach proposed in this Letter contain the current-rather limited-catalog of explicit protocols, but it also provides a systematic strategy to build the connection between arbitrary states with a physically admissible driving. Optimization and further generalizations are also discussed.

Optimization of an active heat engine

Optimization of heat engines at the microscale has applications in biological and artificial nanotechnology and stimulates theoretical research in nonequilibrium statistical physics. Here we consider noninteracting overdamped particles confined by an external harmonic potential, in contact with either a thermal reservoir or a stochastic self-propulsion force (active Ornstein-Uhlenbeck model). A cyclical machine is produced by periodic variation of the parameters of the potential and of the noise. An exact mapping between the passive and the active model allows us to define the effective temperature T_{eff}(t), which is meaningful for the thermodynamic performance of the engine. We show that T_{eff}(t) is different from all other known active temperatures, typically used in static situations. The mapping allows us to optimize the active engine, regardless of the values of the persistence time or self-propulsion velocity. In particular, through linear irreversible thermodynamics (small amplitude of the cycle), we give an explicit formula for the optimal cycle period and phase delay (between the two modulated parameters, stiffness and temperature) achieving maximum power with Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency. In the quasistatic limit, the formula for T_{eff}(t) simplifies and coincides with a recently proposed temperature for stochastic thermodynamics, bearing a compact expression for the maximum efficiency. A point, which has been overlooked in recent literature, is made about the difficulty in defining efficiency without a consistent definition of effective temperature.

Unified approach to stochastic thermodynamics: Application to a quantum heat engine

In the present study we have developed an alternative formulation for the quantum stochastic thermodynamics based on the c-number Langevin equation for the system-reservoir model. This is analogous to the classical one. Here we have considered both Markovian and non-Markovian dynamics (NMD). Consideration of the NMD is an important issue at the current state of the stochastic thermodynamics. Applying the present formalism, we have carried out a comparative study on the heat absorbed and the change of entropy with time for a linear quantum system and its classical analog for both Markovian and NMD. Here the strength of the thermal noise and its correlation time for the respective cases are the leading quantities to explain any distinguishable feature which may appear with the equilibration kinetics. For another application, we have proposed a formulation with classical look for a quantum stochastic heat engine. Using it we have presented a comparative study on the efficiency and its value at maximum power for a quantum stochastic heat engine and its classical analog. The engines are Carnot like which are coupled with their respective Markovian thermal baths. Here also the noise strength as well as the diffusion constant are the leading quantities to explain any noticeable feature.

Fast-forward approach to stochastic heat engine

The fast-forward (FF) scheme proposed by Masuda and Nakamura [Proc. R. Soc. A 466, 1135 (2010)1364-502110.1098/rspa.2009.0446] in the context of conservative quantum dynamics can reproduce a quasistatic dynamics in an arbitrarily short time. We apply the FF scheme to the classical stochastic Carnot-like heat engine which is driven by a Brownian particle coupled with a time-dependent harmonic potential and working between the high- (T_{h}) and low- (T_{c}) temperature heat reservoirs. Concentrating on the underdamped case where momentum degree of freedom is included, we find the explicit expressions for the FF protocols necessary to accelerate both the isothermal and thermally adiabatic processes and obtain the reversible and irreversible works. The irreversible work is shown to consist of two terms with one proportional to and the other inversely proportional to the friction coefficient. The optimal value of efficiency η at the maximum power of this engine is found to be η^{*}=1/2{1+1/2(T_{c}/T_{h})^{1/2}-5/4T_{c}/T_{h}+O[(T_{c}/T_{h})^{3/2}]} and η^{*}=1-(T_{c}/T_{h})^{1/2}, respectively, in the cases of strong and weak dissipation. The result is justified for a wide family of time-scaling functions, making the FF protocols very flexible. We also revealed that the accelerated full cycle of the Carnot-like stochastic heat engine cannot be conceivable within the framework of the overdamped case, and the power and efficiency can be evaluated only when the momentum degree of freedom is taken into consideration.

Nonadiabatic Control of Geometric Pumping

We study nonadiabatic effects of geometric pumping. With arbitrary choices of periodic control parameters, we go beyond the adiabatic approximation to obtain the exact pumping current. We find that a geometrical interpretation for the nontrivial part of the current is possible even in the nonadiabatic regime. The exact result allows us to find a smooth connection between the adiabatic Berry phase theory at low frequencies and the Floquet theory at high frequencies. We also study how to control the geometric current. Using the method of shortcuts to adiabaticity with the aid of an assisting field, we illustrate that it enhances the current.

Precooling Strategy Allows Exponentially Faster Heating

What is the fastest way to heat a system which is coupled to a temperature controlled oven? The intuitive answer is to use only the hottest temperature available. However, we show that often it is possible to achieve an exponentially faster heating protocol. Surprisingly, this protocol can have a precooling stage-cooling the system before heating it shortens the heating time significantly. To demonstrate such improvements in many-body systems, we developed a projection-based method with which such protocols can be found in large systems, as we demonstrate on the 2D antiferromagnet Ising model.

Energetic Self-Optimization Induced by Stability in Low-Dissipation Heat Engines

The local stability of a weakly dissipative heat engine is analyzed and linked to an energetic multi-objective optimization perspective. This constitutes a novel issue in the unified study of cyclic energy converters, opening the perspective to the possibility that stability favors self-optimization of thermodynamic quantities including efficiency, power and entropy generation. To this end, a dynamics simulating the restitution forces, which mimics a harmonic potential, bringing the system back to the steady state is analyzed. It is shown that relaxation trajectories are not arbitrary but driven by the improvement of several energetic functions. Insights provided by the statistical behavior of consecutive random perturbations show that the irreversible behavior works as an attractor for the energetics of the system, while the endoreversible limit acts as an upper bound and the Pareto front as a global attractor. Fluctuations around the operation regime reveal a difference between the behavior coming from fast and slow relaxation trajectories: while the former are associated to an energetic self-optimization evolution, the latter are ascribed to better performances. The self-optimization induced by stability and the possible use of instabilities in the operation regime to improve the energetic performance might usher into new useful perspectives in the control of variables for real engines.

Optimization induced by stability and the role of limited control near a steady state

A relationship between stability and self-optimization is found for weakly dissipative heat devices. The effect of limited control on operation variables around an steady state is such that, after instabilities, the paths toward relaxation are given by trajectories stemming from restitution forces which improve the system thermodynamic performance (power output, efficiency, and entropy generation). Statistics over random trajectories for many cycles shows this behavior as well. Two types of dynamics are analyzed, one where an stability basin appears and another one where the system is globally stable. Under both dynamics there is an induced trend in the control variables space due to stability. In the energetic space this behavior translates into a preference for better thermodynamic states, and thus stability could favor self-optimization under limited control. This is analyzed from the multiobjective optimization perspective. As a result, the statistical behavior of the system is strongly influenced by the Pareto front (the set of points with the best compromise between several objective functions) and the stability basin. Additionally, endoreversible and irreversible behaviors appear as very relevant limits: The first one is an upper bound in energetic performance, connected with the Pareto front, and the second one represents an attractor for the stochastic trajectories.

Shortcut-to-adiabaticity Otto engine: A twist to finite-time thermodynamics

We consider a finite-time Otto engine operating on a quantum harmonic oscillator and driven by shortcut-to-adiabaticity (STA) techniques to speed up its cycle. We study its efficiency and power when internal friction, time-averaged work, and work fluctuations are used as quantitative figures of merit, showing that time-averaged efficiency and power are useful cost functions for the characterization of the performance of the engine. We then use the minimum allowed time for validity of STA protocol relation to establish a physically relevant bound to the efficiency at maximum power of the STA-driven cycle.

Optimization and Stability of Heat Engines: The Role of Entropy Evolution

Local stability of maximum power and maximum compromise (Omega) operation regimes dynamic evolution for a low-dissipation heat engine is analyzed. The thermodynamic behavior of trajectories to the stationary state, after perturbing the operation regime, display a trade-off between stability, entropy production, efficiency and power output. This allows considering stability and optimization as connected pieces of a single phenomenon. Trajectories inside the basin of attraction display the smallest entropy drops. Additionally, it was found that time constraints, related with irreversible and endoreversible behaviors, influence the thermodynamic evolution of relaxation trajectories. The behavior of the evolution in terms of the symmetries of the model and the applied thermal gradients was analyzed.

Cycling Tames Power Fluctuations near Optimum Efficiency

According to the laws of thermodynamics, no heat engine can beat the efficiency of a Carnot cycle. This efficiency traditionally comes with vanishing power output and practical designs, optimized for power, generally achieve far less. Recently, various strategies to obtain Carnot's efficiency at large power were proposed. However, a thermodynamic uncertainty relation implies that steady-state heat engines can operate in this regime only at the cost of large fluctuations that render them immensely unreliable. Here, we demonstrate that this unfortunate trade-off can be overcome by designs operating cyclically under quasistatic conditions. The experimentally relevant yet exactly solvable model of an overdamped Brownian heat engine is used to illustrate the formal result. Our study highlights that work in cyclic heat engines and that in quasistatic ones are different stochastic processes.

Levitated Nanoparticles for Microscopic Thermodynamics-A Review

Levitated Nanoparticles have received much attention for their potential to perform quantum mechanical experiments even at room temperature. However, even in the regime where the particle dynamics are purely classical, there is a lot of interesting physics that can be explored. Here we review the application of levitated nanoparticles as a new experimental platform to explore stochastic thermodynamics in small systems.

Diverging, but negligible power at Carnot efficiency: Theory and experiment

We discuss the possibility of reaching the Carnot efficiency by heat engines (HEs) out of quasistatic conditions at nonzero power output. We focus on several models widely used to describe the performance of actual HEs. These models comprise quantum thermoelectric devices, linear irreversible HEs, minimally nonlinear irreversible HEs, HEs working in the regime of low-dissipation, overdamped stochastic HEs and an underdamped stochastic HE. Although some of these HEs can reach the Carnot efficiency at nonzero and even diverging power, the magnitude of this power is always negligible compared to the maximum power attainable in these systems. We provide conditions for attaining the Carnot efficiency in the individual models and explain practical aspects connected with reaching the Carnot efficiency at large power output. Furthermore, we show how our findings can be tested in practice using a standard Brownian HE realizable with available micromanipulation techniques.

Stochastic thermodynamics of periodically driven systems: Fluctuation theorem for currents and unification of two classes

Periodic driving is used to operate machines that go from standard macroscopic engines to small nonequilibrium microsized systems. Two classes of such systems are small heat engines driven by periodic temperature variations, and molecular pumps driven by external stimuli. Well-known results that are valid for nonequilibrium steady states of systems driven by fixed thermodynamic forces, instead of an external periodic driving, have been generalized to periodically driven heat engines only recently. These results include a general expression for entropy production in terms of currents and affinities, and symmetry relations for the Onsager coefficients from linear-response theory. For nonequilibrium steady states, the Onsager reciprocity relations can be obtained from the more general fluctuation theorem for the currents. We prove a fluctuation theorem for the currents for periodically driven systems. We show that this fluctuation theorem implies a fluctuation dissipation relation, symmetry relations for Onsager coefficients, and further relations for nonlinear response coefficients. The setup in this paper is more general than previous studies, i.e., our results are valid for both heat engines and molecular pumps. The external protocol is assumed to be stochastic in our framework, which leads to a particularly convenient way to treat periodically driven systems.

Power output for a nonlinear Brownian machine

We propose a method that makes use of the nonlinear properties of some hypothetical microscopic solid material as the working substance for a microscopic machine. The protocols used are simple (step and elliptic) and allow us to obtain the work and heat exchanged between machine and reservoirs. We calculate the work for a nonlinear single-particle machine that can be treated perturbingly. We obtain the instantaneous work and heat for the machine undergoing cycles that mimic the Carnot and multireservoir protocols. The work calculations are then extended to high values of the nonlinear parameter yielding the quasistatic limit, which is verified numerically. The model we propose is fluctuation driven and we can study in detail its thermostatistics, namely, the work distribution both per cycle and instantaneous and the corresponding fluctuation relations.

Path-integral formalism for stochastic resetting: Exactly solved examples and shortcuts to confinement

We study the dynamics of overdamped Brownian particles diffusing in conservative force fields and undergoing stochastic resetting to a given location at a generic space-dependent rate of resetting. We present a systematic approach involving path integrals and elements of renewal theory that allows us to derive analytical expressions for a variety of statistics of the dynamics such as (i) the propagator prior to first reset, (ii) the distribution of the first-reset time, and (iii) the spatial distribution of the particle at long times. We apply our approach to several representative and hitherto unexplored examples of resetting dynamics. A particularly interesting example for which we find analytical expressions for the statistics of resetting is that of a Brownian particle trapped in a harmonic potential with a rate of resetting that depends on the instantaneous energy of the particle. We find that using energy-dependent resetting processes is more effective in achieving spatial confinement of Brownian particles on a faster time scale than performing quenches of parameters of the harmonic potential.

Shortcuts to isothermality and nonequilibrium work relations

In conventional thermodynamics, it is widely acknowledged that the realization of an isothermal process for a system requires a quasistatic controlling protocol. Here we propose and design a strategy to realize a finite-rate isothermal transition from an equilibrium state to another one at the same temperature, which is named the "shortcut to isothermality." By using shortcuts to isothermality, we derive three nonequilibrium work relations, including an identity between the free-energy difference and the mean work due to the potential of the original system, a Jarzynski-like equality, and the inverse relationship between the dissipated work and the total driving time. We numerically test these three relations by considering the motion of a Brownian particle trapped in a harmonic potential and dragged by a time-dependent force.

Two coupled, driven Ising spin systems working as an engine

Miniaturized heat engines constitute a fascinating field of current research. Many theoretical and experimental studies are being conducted that involve colloidal particles in harmonic traps as well as bacterial baths acting like thermal baths. These systems are micron-sized and are subjected to large thermal fluctuations. Hence, for these systems average thermodynamic quantities, such as work done, heat exchanged, and efficiency, lose meaning unless otherwise supported by their full probability distributions. Earlier studies on microengines are concerned with applying Carnot or Stirling engine protocols to miniaturized systems, where system undergoes typical two isothermal and two adiabatic changes. Unlike these models we study a prototype system of two classical Ising spins driven by time-dependent, phase-different, external magnetic fields. These spins are simultaneously in contact with two heat reservoirs at different temperatures for the full duration of the driving protocol. Performance of the model as an engine or a refrigerator depends only on a single parameter, namely the phase between two external drivings. We study this system in terms of fluctuations in efficiency and coefficient of performance (COP). We find full distributions of these quantities numerically and study the tails of these distributions. We also study reliability of the engine. We find the fluctuations dominate mean values of efficiency and COP, and their probability distributions are broad with power law tails.

Brownian motion of a circle swimmer in a harmonic trap

We study the dynamics of a Brownian circle swimmer with a time-dependent self-propulsion velocity in an external temporally varying harmonic potential. For several situations, the noise-free swimming paths, the noise-averaged mean trajectories, and the mean-square displacements are calculated analytically or by computer simulation. Based on our results, we discuss optimal swimming strategies in order to explore a maximum spatial range around the trap center. In particular, we find a resonance situation for the maximum escape distance as a function of the various frequencies in the system. Moreover, the influence of the Brownian noise is analyzed by comparing noise-free trajectories at zero temperature with the corresponding noise-averaged trajectories at finite temperature. The latter reveal various complex self-similar spiral or rosette-like patterns. Our predictions can be tested in experiments on artificial and biological microswimmers under dynamical external confinement.

Colloidal heat engines: a review

Stochastic heat engines can be built using colloidal particles trapped using optical tweezers. Here we review recent experimental realizations of microscopic heat engines. We first revisit the theoretical framework of stochastic thermodynamics that allows to describe the fluctuating behavior of the energy fluxes that occur at mesoscopic scales, and then discuss recent implementations of the colloidal equivalents to the macroscopic Stirling, Carnot and steam engines. These small-scale motors exhibit unique features in terms of power and efficiency fluctuations that have no equivalent in the macroscopic world. We also consider a second pathway for work extraction from colloidal engines operating between active bacterial reservoirs at different temperatures, which could significantly boost the performance of passive heat engines at the mesoscale. Finally, we provide some guidance on how the work extracted from colloidal heat engines can be used to generate net particle or energy currents, proposing a new generation of experiments with colloidal systems.

Photoelectric converters with quantum coherence

Photon impingement is capable of liberating electrons in electronic devices and driving the electron flux from the lower chemical potential to higher chemical potential. Previous studies hinted that the thermodynamic efficiency of a nanosized photoelectric converter at maximum power is bounded by the Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency η_{CA}. In this study, we apply quantum effects to design a photoelectric converter based on a three-level quantum dot (QD) interacting with fermionic baths and photons. We show that, by adopting a pair of suitable degenerate states, quantum coherences induced by the couplings of QDs to sunlight and fermion baths can coexist steadily in nanoelectronic systems. Our analysis indicates that the efficiency at maximum power is no longer limited to η_{CA} through manipulation of carefully controlled quantum coherences.

Optimal performance of periodically driven, stochastic heat engines under limited control

We consider the performance of periodically driven stochastic heat engines in the linear response regime. Reaching the theoretical bounds for efficiency and efficiency at maximum power typically requires full control over the design and the driving of the system. We develop a framework which allows us to quantify the role that limited control over the system has on the performance. Specifically, we show that optimizing the driving entering the work extraction for a given temperature protocol leads to a universal, one-parameter dependence for both maximum efficiency and maximum power as a function of efficiency. In particular, we show that reaching Carnot efficiency (and, hence, Curzon-Ahlborn efficiency at maximum power) requires to have control over the amplitude of the full Hamiltonian of the system. Since the kinetic energy cannot be controlled by an external parameter, heat engines based on underdamped dynamics can typically not reach Carnot efficiency. We illustrate our general theory with a paradigmatic case study of a heat engine consisting of an underdamped charged particle in a modulated two-dimensional harmonic trap in the presence of a magnetic field.

Efficiency at and near maximum power of low-dissipation heat engines

A universality in optimization of trade-off between power and efficiency for low-dissipation Carnot cycles is presented. It is shown that any trade-off measure expressible in terms of efficiency and the ratio of power to its maximum value can be optimized independently of most details of the dynamics and of the coupling to thermal reservoirs. The result is demonstrated on two specific trade-off measures. The first one is designed for finding optimal efficiency for a given output power and clearly reveals diseconomy of engines working at maximum power. As the second example we derive universal lower and upper bounds on the efficiency at maximum trade-off given by the product of power and efficiency. The results are illustrated on a model of a diffusion-based heat engine. Such engines operate in the low-dissipation regime given that the used driving minimizes the work dissipated during the isothermal branches. The peculiarities of the corresponding optimization procedure are reviewed and thoroughly discussed.

Construction and optimization of a quantum analog of the Carnot cycle

The quantum analog of Carnot cycles in few-particle systems consists of two quantum adiabatic steps and two isothermal steps. This construction is formally justified by use of a minimum work principle. It is then shown, using minimal assumptions of work or heat in nanoscale systems, that the heat-to-work efficiency of such quantum heat engine cycles can be further optimized via two conditions regarding the expectation value of some generalized force operators evaluated at equilibrium states. In general the optimized efficiency is system specific, lower than the Carnot efficiency, and dependent upon both temperatures of the cold and hot reservoirs. Simple computational examples are used to illustrate our theory. The results should be an important guide towards the design of favorable working conditions of a realistic quantum heat engine.

Suppression of work fluctuations by optimal control: An approach based on Jarzynski's equality

Understanding and manipulating work fluctuations in microscale and nanoscale systems are of both fundamental and practical interest. For example, aspects of work fluctuations will be an important factor in designing nanoscale heat engines. In this work, an optimal control approach directly exploiting Jarzynski's equality is proposed to effectively suppress the fluctuations in the work statistics, for systems (initially at thermal equilibrium) subject to a work protocol but isolated from a bath during the protocol. The control strategy is to minimize the deviations of individual values of e^{-βW} from their ensemble average given by e^{-βΔF}, where W is the work, β is the inverse temperature, and ΔF is the free energy difference between two equilibrium states. It is further shown that even when the system Hamiltonian is not fully known, it is still possible to suppress work fluctuations through a feedback loop, by refining the control target function on the fly through Jarzynski's equality itself. Numerical experiments are based on linear and nonlinear parametric oscillators. Optimal control results for linear parametric oscillators are also benchmarked with early results based on shortcuts to adiabaticity.

Universal theory of efficiency fluctuations

Using the fluctuation theorem supplemented with geometric arguments, we derive universal features of the (long-time) efficiency fluctuations for thermal and isothermal machines operating under steady or periodic driving, close or far from equilibrium. In particular, the probabilities for observing the reversible efficiency and the least likely efficiency are identical to those of the same machine working under the time-reversed driving. For time-symmetric drivings, this reversible and the least probable efficiency coincide.

Single-particle stochastic heat engine

We have performed an extensive analysis of a single-particle stochastic heat engine constructed by manipulating a Brownian particle in a time-dependent harmonic potential. The cycle consists of two isothermal steps at different temperatures and two adiabatic steps similar to that of a Carnot engine. The engine shows qualitative differences in inertial and overdamped regimes. All the thermodynamic quantities, including efficiency, exhibit strong fluctuations in a time periodic steady state. The fluctuations of stochastic efficiency dominate over the mean values even in the quasistatic regime. Interestingly, our system acts as an engine provided the temperature difference between the two reservoirs is greater than a finite critical value which in turn depends on the cycle time and other system parameters. This is supported by our analytical results carried out in the quasistatic regime. Our system works more reliably as an engine for large cycle times. By studying various model systems, we observe that the operational characteristics are model dependent. Our results clearly rule out any universal relation between efficiency at maximum power and temperature of the baths. We have also verified fluctuation relations for heat engines in time periodic steady state.